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Note 1 users recommend upgrade to Note 2?

J

JimmyTheSaint

Well-Known Member
Any opinions on the upgrade experience from the Note 1 to the Note 2? I'm asking for experienced Note 1 users' opinions since the praise for the Note 2 seems to be people who've made a bigger leap to get to the Note 2. Coming from the Note 1, does the Note 2 feel merely incremental, or are there aspects that make the new experience heavenly? Please tell.

In my case, I'm primarily an S3 user and my Note 1 is my backup phone. The only real advantage is that the S3 is one-handable and the Note 1 is one-handable only with a substantially greater risk of dropping it. Also, the Note 1's larger size makes it too easily switched on in my pocket, and I like my phones to not have a lock screen or screen timeout. I'm wondering how people are experiencing the Note 2's somewhat modified form factor in relation to the Note 1.
 
JimmyTheSaint said:
Any opinions on the upgrade experience from the Note 1 to the Note 2? I'm asking for experienced Note 1 users' opinions since the praise for the Note 2 seems to be people who've made a bigger leap to get to the Note 2. Coming from the Note 1, does the Note 2 feel merely incremental, or are there aspects that make the new experience heavenly? Please tell.

In my case, I'm primarily an S3 user and my Note 1 is my backup phone. The only real advantage is that the S3 is one-handable and the Note 1 is one-handable only with a substantially greater risk of dropping it. Also, the Note 1's larger size makes it too easily switched on in my pocket, and I like my phones to not have a lock screen or screen timeout. I'm wondering how people are experiencing the Note 2's somewhat modified form factor in relation to the Note 1.
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Well, thats not going to happen. :)

I am not a Note 2 user yet but there are a LOT of post in these forums from former Note 1 to 2 users who've stated the upgrade is huge and they're glad they took the plunge. Size, increased performance, more battery power plus added *S* features.

Also the modified form factor has been the Note 2 is easier to hold than it's predecessor.

Stay tuned.... Note 2 users who came from 1 will chime in.
 
For me, the first Note was truly ground-breaking. I fell in love with it the first time I randomly happened across it on-line. I waited months and when I was finally able to get it, it was everything I had imagined and more. It took a 'phone' and made it into a computer.

This for me is the reality of why the Note series is so awesome. Most smart phones are phones that have computer elements tagged on to enhance their functionality. The note is a Computer with phone elements tagged on to enhance its functionality.

The Note 2 takes this to a whole new level. And then some.

Its smooth as anything you can imagine using. I mean there's no lag... whatsoever. It multi-tasks like a dream. The additional S-pen functionality is simply sublime. The form factor and weight are perfect.

Honestly, this effect is created more by refinement than addition. Don't get me wrong, they have added a lot of new features. But they have also refined the old ones to perfection. The S-pen is now truly a tool rather than an 'optional extra'. As mentioned, the thing cannot be made to lag. And, TouchWiz... though still not perfect, is now light-years ahead of were it used to be. The screen... is simply glorious. It feels sharper than the N1 screen, despite being slightly lower res. The colour is amazing. And there isn't a hint of the 'black crush' effect noticed by many on the screen of the Note 1.

I used my Note 1 this morning (shipping it off to envirofone tomorrow), and I really couldn't go back. A week with this thing makes you realise just how ahead of everything else out there it is.

The Note 2 is the first phone I've bought outright in years. I usually get a new phone when upgrading a contract. But let me tell you, this thing was worth every single penny (all 51,500 of them).
 
Thank you RandomJoker,


I have accepted the principle of upgrading and you've helped to convince me. I'm now down to the detail of when; ie wondering wait for LTE? Wait for 32GB?

I'm looking forward to see what EE have to offer tomorrow.

PS I see fonebank offer 20,600 pence
 
So, not really much enthusiasm about the difference between the Note 1 and Note 2? I do understand about the Note 1's lag (I posted about micro lag when the Note 1 first came out), but I haven't seen it lag since I upgraded its firmware to the latest. For me, one big difference would be if the Note 2's slightly different proportions made it feel better and more secure in my hand. I can't really test the Note 2 for feel in the store, though, because they attach that security cable. I'd also like to test it in my pocket to see how easy it is to accidentally switch on, but that test is also impossible.
 
Its far nicer to hold in your hand. The size and form factor are now, in my humble opinion, absolutely perfect.

And I would have agreed with you about the recent Note 1 update fixing the lag... that is, until I used my Note 2 for a while. Trust me, using a Note 2 for a bit makes you realise that certain products have lag and you never even realised. This thing is so smooth it really raises the bar.
 
PiscesCloud said:
Thank you RandomJoker,


I have accepted the principle of upgrading and you've helped to convince me. I'm now down to the detail of when; ie wondering wait for LTE? Wait for 32GB?

I'm looking forward to see what EE have to offer tomorrow.

PS I see fonebank offer 20,600 pence
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Thinking about the 4g etc coming to the UK, people are going to have to upgrade their internet data packages otherwise their data plan will disappear over 1 fast download. I was thinking of waiting for the new services to arrive and then buying the 4g model of GN2 but tbh I don't think I could afford the package lol.
 
Oh, for godsake I went out and bought one. My S3's screen is already looking cramped. Time will tell about the form factor in my pocket and one-handed--if it doesn't work out and I need to sue, is "R4nd0mJ0k3r" your given or family name?
 
JimmyTheSaint said:
Oh, for godsake I went out and bought one. My S3's screen is already looking cramped. Time will tell about the form factor in my pocket and one-handed--if it doesn't work out and I need to sue, is "R4nd0mJ0k3r" your given or family name?
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LOL!!!! RJ didn't make you go out and buy it. THAT decision is all you boo boo! :D
 
After a day of heavy use, I have to agree that the slight change in form factor makes the Note 2 much more secure and comfortable in the hand than the Note 1. It's such a small difference, but somehow the Note 1's being wider and thinner, along with the more slippery textured back plate give me stress when using it one-handed. Dropping it is inevitable for one-handers. I fix this by adding one of those rubberized half-cases, which is also an absolute necessity or else the Note 1 constantly gets switched on in my pocket. But some people don't like the sticky (when your hand warms up) feel of the N2's smooth plastic back plate, so I wonder if Samsung is brilliant in their re-design, or if suits me by luck. Samsung is obviously smart about re-positioning the power button--it never gets switched on in my pocket and is easier to reach one-handed. But I wonder if they'll keep fiddling with the proportions in the future to accommodate different segments of a population that can't all be pleased.

It really is a tough call between the S3 and N2; owning both is an extravagance, but not a redundant waste. In my case, I get a lot of practical value out of the bigger screen that enables me to glance at my notes during public presentations without losing my place as easily. The S3 is definitely more one-handable, but I now blame larger phone's physical difficulties on the software developers not designing with this in mind. I mean, if apps would just let the user customize where to place controls and toolbars (lower vs. upper, left vs. right), I think it would make everyone quite happy without adding very much complication. One simple design principle: allow as much control as possible within the sweep of whichever thumb the user chooses.

I would guess that's why Jobs was so against a larger phone. He wanted to guarantee the thing was really comfortable and flexible to operate. But a large screen can be quite comfy with just a little more planning. As it is, though, even the OS's basic design is unnecessarily inflexible: always holding it in my left hand, I have no choice but to root my damn phone just to use apps that provide a virtual and movable back button.
 
I was playing in the shop of the Note 2 comparing with my Note 1. My main use of the Note is its video facilities. I recorded TV on computer. This was transferred to my phone and then watched it at my gym sessions at leisure.

I thought the Note2 is not as sharp. The image in Note1 seems more fresh. Although Note2 is bigger in size, I was fooled by the proportion and thinking Note 1 gives a bigger screen!

Am I the only one who does not appreciate the Note 2?
 
cnlon said:
I was playing in the shop of the Note 2 comparing with my Note 1. My main use of the Note is its video facilities. I recorded TV on computer. This was transferred to my phone and then watched it at my gym sessions at leisure.

I thought the Note2 is not as sharp. The image in Note1 seems more fresh. Although Note2 is bigger in size, I was fooled by the proportion and thinking Note 1 gives a bigger screen!

Am I the only one who does not appreciate the Note 2?
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for your specific personal needs and requirements ... it would seem that you dont need to upgrade. you just saved some $$$$$$. buy me a beer?
 
Dear Dan 330,

:beerglass: for you! Thanks.

I have been looking at various reviews comparing Note and Note2. They all commented display on Note2 is better with the better ratio and RGB display instead of pentile. Somehow i thought Note1 is sharper when comparing the video side by side! Is it only me who cannot see the improvement?

If you see the same image in a smaller screen (both black bars at the sides), shouldn't that look sharper and more crisp?

With my limited use, i.e. very basic watch video and reading email and phoning, I think i may as well keep the Note 1 unless a dual sim version comes out in Note 2.

Ta.
 
if the resolutions are the same.. on big and small screen.. then, yes, the smaller one would seem crisper. the issue if you can actually see the pixels at the NORMAL distance from your eyeball.

if you dont see the benefits.. no need to force yourself and spend the cash. just wait, dont worry, eventually there will be a phone or need/requirement that you will want.
 
I'm liking the Note 2 (T-Mo USA) better than the Note I have on at&t. As stated, the form factor makes it easier to hold "for me". Along with the 5th row keypad, some of the motion features such as "wave" to see status when phone locked, screen timeout based on looking at the screen, S-Pen low-jack, etc., makes it worth the upgrade "for me". Vulkano and Sling box streams look especially nice, now that I can change display mode to "Movie", as on my Tab Plus. I was using the "Screen Adjuster" app to tone down my How's high color/contrast saturation.

Unfortunately, the Note 2 still has "weakish" reception.
 
It's enough of an upgrade for me to go from Note 1 to Note 2. I'm also hoping to get a 32GB or 64GB, as mine is the AT&T one which only came in 16GB.
 
Ten days of use, and I must say that I'm still happy to replace my S3 with my N2. Last year when I tried going from S2 to N1, after a while I found that the S2's form factor just made it too much of a better experience than the N1. As I declared then, I http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-note/465479-just-cant-break-up-my-s2.html.

I'll see how I feel in six months, but right now I'm pretty well decided that the N2's small physical differences are a somehow a revolution in usability. I really hated how the N1's power button constantly got actuated in my pocket, forcing me to use an equally-hated case. Also, the N1's inferior battery performance made me remove that case as an additional step when switching batteries. Carrying an extra battery isn't that big a deal since they're so light and cheap, but the N2's battery performance is good enough to not have to bother with a spare battery. And I've switched on frequent email syncing of several accounts along with Tapatalk forum notifications. I've never had the luxury of up-to-date notifications on a phone before because I didn't want to waste the battery power. It may be a little extravagant to bump up from the N1, but for me I've decided it was money well spent.
 
Short and sweet....I would make the jump for sure. i love the note 2 compared to my note 1. So many new features and it isn't as wide as the first note. I didn't think anything would get me away from the iPhone. I had every iPhone from the beginning. I'm proud to say......goodbye apple....hello android. Well done Samsung.
 
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